While creating a Facebook group to promote my new home business opportunity, I noticed a group titled "Petition Against Facebook Charging a $2.99 Monthly Fee". First of all, as this is the first I've heard about any kind of monthly fee for Facebook, I doubt this $2.99 fee is anything more than a silly rumor. But even if it were true I wouldn't join any kind of petition to stop it. They have to pay the bills somehow, and if paying the bills means they have to start charging members then a petition group isn't going to change that.
Here are just two of the stupid comments I read on the group wall.
"I would just stop using Facebook. It's just as easy to keep in touch over e-mail, just not as fancy."
Sure, you can keep in touch with people over e-mail, but what about the people you weren't in touch with before Facebook? What about all the people you've lost touch with over the years, and found again thanks to Facebook? At least half of my Facebook friends fall into that category. Is that not worth $3 a month to you?
"Just charge the advertisers more!"
It doesn't work that way. Advertising costs are driven by the market. Advertisers will only pay what they feel the audience is worth. How valuable is an audience that is too cheap to pay a measly $3 a month for all that Facebook has to offer? I'm sure a lot of you use ad blockers, too, and the advertisers know this; therefore, the value of the audience is adjusted accordingly.
Look, free is awesome. I love free stuff and use as much of it as I can get my hands on. But I think we're getting a little too used to getting everything for free. You have to realize that everything you get for free costs somebody money, somewhere. And sometimes it becomes too much expense to keep absorbing, and those of us who have been getting a free ride need to step up and do our part.
Speaking of which, have you tipped your favorite blogger recently? 
![[photo of me]](/glasses144.jpg)
![[album thumbnail]](/photos/flood2010/thumbnails/albumthumb.jpg)
![[album thumbnail]](/photos/oregon2009/thumbnails/albumthumb.jpg)
